Terminal station for pneumatic carrier system

ABSTRACT

A terminal station for receiving, holding or removal of, and dispatching pneumatically propelled carriers having a motoroperated, three-position, pivoted door equipped with a carrier receiver which receiver retains the carrier when the door is in a closed position and one of two open positions. The carrierretaining means is stationary when the door is in its closed position for receiving the carrier and may be stationary or movably mounted on the door when the door is in its first open position for holding or retaining the carrier in the receiver. This retaining means is automatically removed when the door is moved to its other or further open position for permitting a carrier to be dispatched by passing through the receiver on the door. This movement of the door into its further open position is controlled automatically by sensing means when the carrier is removed from the receiver in the door&#39;&#39;s first open position, or this further movement of the door may be controlled manually from a remote station as can all other of its movements.

United States Patent ABSTRACT: A terminal station for receiving, holding or removal of, and dispatching pneumatically propelled carriers having a motor-operated, three-position, pivoted door equipped with a carrier receiver which receiver retains the carrier when the door is in a closed position and one of two open positions. The carrier-retaining means is stationary when the door is in its closed position for receiving the carrier and may be stationary or movably mounted on the door when the door is in its first open position for holding or retaining the carrier in the receiver. This retaining means is automatically removed when the door is moved to its other or further open position for permitting a carrier to be dispatched by passing through the receiver on the door. This movement of the door into its further open position is controlled automatically by sensing means when the carrier is removed from the receiver in the doors first open position, or this further movement of the door may be controlled manually from a remote station as can all other of its movements.

PATENTED AUG24|971 SHEET 1 BF 5 INVENTORS ((33. BU L LOC K K. A. HAWKI FIG.I

ATTORNEY sum 2 or 5 PATENTEU AUG24I971 'INVENTORS K. 0. BULLOCK A. c. HAWKINS ATTORNEY FIG.3

PATENTED AUB24|97| 3,601 337 sum 3 or 5 INVENTORS K. c. BULLOCK A 0. HAWKINS ATTORNEY PATENTEU M1824 I973 SHEET 0F 5 FIG. 6

INVEN'R )R. K. G. BULLOCK A. G. HAWKINS ATTORNEY TERMINAL STATION FOR PNEUMATIC CARRIER SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to remotely located depositor or customer stations for drive-in banks adapted to receive and retain a pneumatic carrier in a door receiver after its expulsion from a delivery tube, and is an improvement on the customers terminal station shown in assignees US. Pat. No. 3,282,53I issued on Nov. 1, I966 to G. M. Stewart.

One disadvantage of a customers terminal station such as shown in this Stewart patent is that a bank teller must actuate an independent means to block the receiver in the door to prevent the dispatch of the carrier when the door is moved to its only open position until the customer removes the carrier. Then the teller must again actuate the independent means to unblock the receiver to permit the dispatch of the carrier when the carrier is returned by the customer to the receiver in the door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, this invention comprises a terminal station for a pneumatic transmission tube carrier system wherein a delivery and a dispatch tube terminate in a pressurizable compartment or housing having an access opening therein;

which opening is closable by a door pivoted or hinged along its lower edge to the housing adjacent the bottom edge of the access opening. The inner face of the door is provided with an open ended tubular carrier receiver for the carrier.

The door is movable by a motor from a closed position wherein one open end of the receiver is aligned with the terminal end of the delivery tube, to a first open or hold position wherein a carrier is held for removal from the receiver, and thence to a second open or drop position wherein the other end of the receiver is aligned with the dispatch tube.

When the door is in its closed position the lower or other open end of the receiver is blocked by a stationary stop means mounted on the housing. When the door is in its first open or hold position the lower or other open end of the receiver may be blocked by a stationary or a movable abutment pivoted on the door. When the door is in its second open or drop position the lower or other open end of the tubular receiver is automatically unblocked and aligned with the open terminal end of the dispatch tube for receipt of the carrier.

The motor for opening and closing the door is energized by a control circuit which comprises limit switches operated by cams driven by the motor, sensing means for determining whether a carrier is in the receiver in its first open or hold position, means for delaying the operation of the motor for moving the door from its first to its second open position, brake means to quickly stop the motor at the doors first open or hold position, and remotely located manual switches for selective actuation of the motor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above mentioned and other features, objects and advantages and a manner of attaining them are described more specifically below by reference to embodiments of this invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a side elevational view, with portions broken away, of a terminal station of a pneumatic transmission tube carrier system embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side sectional view showing the door in its closed position, and a carrier in the door receiver resting on a stationary abutment;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the door in its first open or hold position, and the carrier resting on a movable retainer means;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of another embodiment of the retainer means of this invention showing the carrier resting on a stationary abutment;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the door in its full open or drop position with the movable retainer moved to a position unblocking the lower end of the door receiver;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carrier receiver on the door showing the movable retainer means of FIG. 5 in its carrier-blocking position; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic electrical wiring diagram for controlling the door-operating motor shown in FIGS. 1 through 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I. The Terminal Station Apparatus FIG. 1 shows a carrier terminal station 10 suitable for use in a pneumatic transmission tube system such as shown in the previously mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,282,531. This station 10 generally comprises a delivery tube 12 having a downwardly extending terminal end 14 and dispatch tube 16 having an inclined downwardly extending terminal end 18 which tube ends are enclosed in a pressurizable compartment or housing 20.

This compartment or housing 20 is provided with an access opening 22 which is normally closed by a pivoted door 24 which is mounted by a hinge 26 at its lower edge along the bottom of the opening 22 for outwardly and downwardly swinging movement. This door preferably is pneumatically sealed by a gasket 25 to the housing when it is closed.

The inner face 28 of the door 24 is provided with a boxshaped open-ended tubular receiver 30. The upper open end 32 of the receiver 30 is in alignment with the downwardly leading terminal end 14 of the delivery tube 12 when the door 24 is in its closed position. This receiver 30 has front and rear walls 36 and 37, respectively, and sidewalls 38 and 39 (see FIG. 6). The front wall 36 has slots 40 through which stationary abutments 46 (described below) project and a lower offset extension 41 which acts as a stop against the lower outside surface of the dispatch tube 16 when the door 24 is in its full open or drop position (see FIG. 5). The rear wall 37 is provided with a longitudinally extending rib 42 which projects into the receiver 30 for guiding and snubbing a carrier 44 as it enter the receiver 30.

Stationary abutment means, such as a pair of brackets 46 having pads or cushions 48 (see FIG. 2), are mounted on the compartment 20 and extend through the slots 40' into the lower open end 34 of the receiver 30. These bracket or fixed abutments stop'and retain a carrier 44 when such is expelled from the delivery tube 12 into the receiver 30.

The door 24 and its receiver 30 are movable from a closed position to at least a first open or hold position (see FIGS. 3 and 4), and then to a second open or drop position (see FIG. 5) by a driving means 50 which comprises a motor 52 having selective braking. means for this position, a rotatable control disk 54, and a door operating crank or link 56, one end of which link is pivotally connected to a bracket 58 mounted on the rear of the receiver 30.

In order to obtain an automatic control of the different positions of the door 24, limit switches LS-l, LS-2, and LS-3 are mounted around the control disk 54 and are engageable by arcuate cams 60, 62, and 64, respectively, mounted on the control disk 54. Each of these limit switches LS-l, LS-2 and LS-3 has two positions, a normal position and an operated position. The limit switch LS1 is in its normal position when the door 24 is in its closed position (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and this switch LS-l remains in its normal position until the door reaches its hold position. Then the higher cam 60 moves this switch LS-l (see FIGS. 3 and 4) into its operated position and holds it in its operated position during movement of the door 24 from its first open or hold position to its full open or drop position. The limit switch LS-2 is moved by the cam 62 to its operated position (see FIGS. 1 and 2) only when the door 24 is in its fully closed position, at all other times it is in normal position. The limit switch I..S3 is in its normal position when the door 24 is in its closed position (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and continues thus during movement of the door until the door reaches its second, full open or drop position. Then the lower cam 64 (see FIG. 5) moves this switch LS-3 into its operated position.

In order to hold or retain the carrier 44 in the receiver 30 when the door is in its first open or hold position, the lower end 34 of the receiver 30 is closed or blocked by a retaining or abutment means. One such retainer or abutment means 66 (see FIG. 6) may comprise a pivot or shaft 68 mounted for rotation between the sidewalls 38 and 39 of the receiver 30, which shaft 68 has an upwardly extending offset portion 70 adapted to engage or abut the bottom surface of the carrier 44. This offset portion 70 is normally urged toward the center of the tubular receiver 30 by a torsion spring 72 bearing against the rear wall 37 of the receiver 30. This spring 72 biases the offset portion 70 into engagement with a stop pin 74 mounted on the wall 38 of the receiver 30 to position the abutting portion 70 across the lower open end 34 of the receiver 30.

Instead of blocking the lower end 34 of the receiver 30 with the movable abutment means or retainer 66, the terminal end 18 of the delivery tube 16 may be padded and/or reinforced to act as a stationary abutment to hold the carrier 44 in the receiver 30 (see FIG. 4), since the receiver 30 is not aligned with the terminal end 18 ofthe delivery tube 16 when the door is in its first open or hold position.

When a carrier 44 is to be dropped into the dispatch tube 16, the door 24 is moved to its second, full open, or drop position whereat the lower open end 34 and front wall 36 on the receiver 30 are aligned with the terminal end 18 of the dispatch tube 16 by the offset stop 41 permitting the inside surface of the wall 36 to be flush with the inside surface of the bottom wall of the tube 16. In order to permit passage of the carrier 44 into the dispatch tube 16, the movable retainer or abutment 66 must be moved into a nonblocking position. Thus, one end of the shaft 68 exterior of the receiver 30 is provided with a downwardly extending leg or lever 76 which pivots the offset portion 70 of the retainer 66 to a nonabutting or out-of-the-way position flush against the rear wall 37 of the receiver 30. This pivoting of the movable retainer 66 is automatically accomplished as the door 24 moves to its full open or drop position by the leg 76 engaging the stop pin 78 mounted on the side of the delivery tube 16 prior to the end of the movement of the door 24 into its second open or drop position.

When the end 18 of the dispatch tube 16 is used as a stationary retainer for the carrier 44, the movement of the door 24 and receiver 30 into alignment with the terminal end of the dispatch tube 16 automatically unblocks the receiver 30.

Accordingly, the blocking and unblocking of the receiver 30 by an abutment such as the movable retainer 66 or the stationary end 18 of the dispatch tube 16, is automatically achieved by the positioning of the door 24 into its hold or drop positions, respectively.

II. The Control Circuit and Operation II-A. Door Opening to First Open or Hold Position Referring now to the wiring diagram of FIG. 7, the positions of the movable contacts of the limit switches LS-l, LS-2, and LS-3 are shown in full lines when the door 24 is in its closed position. A carrier 44 arriving at the station may automatically open the door 24 into its first open or hold position. This is done by the carrier 44 momentarily closing a switch 100 see also FIG. 1) which energizes the relay ML to operate a switch ml-l into its dotted line position to complete a circuit through a conductor I02, limit switch LS-l, conductor 103, and electrical brake circuit I04, and conductor 106 to ener gize the motor 52 from a source ofpowcr 108 When the door 24 reaches this first open or hold position and the cam 60 moves the limit switch LS-l into its operated position, the circuit between the motor 52 and the source of power 108 is then transferred to shut off the motor and operate the electrical brake 104 via conductor 109 so as to prevent overtravel ofthe door and its cam disk 54. The electrical brake circuit 104 may comprise a capacitor which is charged by the voltage through conductor 103 each time the motor 52 is energized, but this capacitor is only discharged when the limit switch LS-l is moved into its operated position to operate the brake. Thus this brake is only operated in the present embodiment of the invention to stop the movement of the door in its first open or hold position, and it is not necessary in its second open or drop position, since the extension or stop 41 on the receiver 30 then definitely stops and aligns the receiver 30 with the dispatch tube 16. The limit switch LS-l in its operated position (shown in dotted lines), also completes a circuit through a conductor 110 to an isolation transformer T2 which in turn supplies a signal through conductors 112 and 1 14 to a door position indicating light 116 on a remote control panel 118. This light 116 indicates to a bank teller that the door 24 is in its first open or hold position.

A manual switch may be provided, such as switch 120 on this remote control panel for a bank teller and/or a switch (not shown) at the cusomters station, to initiate the opening of the door 24 to its first open or hold position so that an empty carrier 44 which may already be at the customers station resting on the abutment 48 may be made immediately available for pickup by a bank customer. Such a switch or switches are connected in parallel with the carrier actuated switch 100.

II-B. Door Opening to Second Open or Drop Position When a customer removes the carrier 44 from the receiver 30 on the door 24, aligned apertures 78 and 80 (see FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 6) in the sidewalls 38 and 39 of the receiver 30 permit a light beam from a lamp 122 to pass through the receiver 30 and fall on a light sensor 124. This light sensor 124 completes a circuit from the isolation transformer T2, conductors 112 and 126 to a sensor relay SR closing its normally open contact sr-l to complete a circuit through conductors 128 and 130 to energize a time delay means TD from a source of power 132. This delay means TD delays the further and automatic opening of the door 24 into its full open or drop position so as not to startle the customer as the customer removes the carrier 44 from the receiver 30.

After the voltage has built up sufficiently in the delay means TD, it starts the further opening of the door to its full open or drop position by firing a rectifier SCR-1 via conductor 134 through a normally closed contract hr-] of the holding relay HR which energizes a drop relay DR via a conductor 136. This drop relay DR then closes and electrically latches its normally open contact dr-l to complete a circuit through the limit switch LS-3, conductors 138 and 103, the electrical brake circuit I04, and conductor 106 to again energize the motor 52, thereby causing the door 24 to move to its second open or drop position. Simultaneously, this drop relay DR energizes light 137 via conductor 139 to indicate to the teller at the remote control panel 118 that the door 24 is now fully open.

As soon as the door 24 leaves its hold position, the sidewalls 38 and 39 interrupt the beam from the lamp 122 so that the light sensor 124 causes the sensor relay SR to deenergize, thus opening its contact sr-l in the time delay circuit TD. When the door 24 reaches this second open or drop position and the cam 64 moves the limit switch LS-3 to its operated position, the circuit between the motor 52 and the source of power 108 is broken and the motor is stopped again and coasts until the extension 41 abuts the end of the dispatch tube 16 at which position the receiver 30 is in alignment with this dispatch tube. Also in this position the abutments 18 or 66 have been automatically removed as previously described. Now the carrier 44, when returned by the customer to the receiver 30, will drop into the dispatch tube 16 for transmission to the teller.

If the carrier 44 has not been removed from the receiver 30 when the door 24 is in its first open or hold position and the teller desires to have the carrier dispatched, a drop switch 140 on the teller control panel I18 is momentarily depressed. This completes a circuit through a conductor 142 to the relay DR and initiates the movement of the door 24 from its hold posi' tion to its full open or drop position. This drop switch 140 is only operational when the door 24 is in its hold position and the limit switch LS1 has moved to its dotted line position supplying a signal voltage or power to the isolation transformer ll-C. Door Closing Operation When the door 24 is in its second open or drop position and a carrier 44 is dropped into the receiver 30, it falls past and momentarily closes a switch 144 (see also FIG. 1). This switch 144 causes the door 24 to close by energizing the relay ML and moves contact ml-l into its full line position to reverse the motor 52 and control disk 54 through a conductor 146, limit switch LS-2 and conductor 148; limit switch LS2 having previously been moved to its normal position shown in dotted I lines by moving off the cam 62 during opening of the door 24. Simultaneously, with the changing of the switch ml-l power is removed from the isolation transformer T2, which extinguishes the indication light 1 l6 and deenergizes the drop relay DR.

The motor 52 runs in this door close direction until the door 24 is completely closed at which point the limit switch LS2 is moved by the cam 62 to its operated position (shown in full lines) thus applying a signal voltage or power to an isolation transformer T1 via a conductor 150. At this time a door close indicator or-light 152 on the teller panel 118 is illuminated by a completed circuit via conductors 154 and 156 leading from this transformer T1.

If the door 24 is in either its hold position or its drop position and the teller desires to close the door 24 manually, a switch 158, wired in parallel to the carrier operated switch 144, is actuated to return the door 24 to its closed position.

ll--D. Holding Carrier At Station I At any time after the door 24 has closed and prior to the carrier 44 being removed from the receiver 30 in its first open or hold position, the carrier 44 may be prevented from being dispatched when it is returned to the receiver 30 by a customer, such as when the carrier is only to be emptied by the customer and nothing is to be returned to the teller. This is accomplished either automatically by an isolated circuit 161 and the closing of carrier operated switch 100 when the carrier arrives at the customers station, or by the teller momentari- Iy operating a hold switch 160 on the remote control panel 118. The closing of the switch 100 or 160 completes a circuit through a conductor 16] or 162, respectively, to energize the hold relay HR to close its normally open contact hr2, and complete a circuit via a conductor 164 to illuminate a signal light 166 on the control panel 118, giving indication that the door 24 is programmed to retain the carrier 44 when it is returned to the receiver 30. Since the return of the carrier 44 to the customers station is usually a carrier loaded with material for the customer which is to be removed by the customer and an empty carrier is then returned to the receiver 30, the operation of the hold relay HR by the carrier operated switch 100 via conductor 161 automatically causes the door 24 to close after the return of the empty carrier 44 without the teller having to operate any switch or push any button until the next customer appears and needs an empty carrier. At this time then the teller will press the switch 120 to open the door 24.

Under this program, when the carrier 44 is removed from the receiver 30 by a customer, the lamp 122 causes the sensor 124 to complete a circuit, as previously described, to actuate the sensor relay SR to open its normally closed contact sr2 and close its normally open contact sr3 in a conductor 168 to charge a capacitor C1. Now, however, the hold relay HR is also energized and its normally closed contact hr-3 in the conductor 128 is open and thus rectifier SCR-l will not be fired by the time delay circuit TD. Then, when the carrier 44 is returned to the receiver 30, the sensor 124 is interrupted and the sensor relay SR opens, opening contact sr3 and closing contact sr2 to fire the rectifier SCR1 by the charge which was built up in the capacitor C1. This firing of the rectifier SCR-l, since the contact hr2 in a conductor 170 to the relay ML is closed, causes the relay switch ml-l to assume its full line position to reverse the motor 52 and close the door as previously described.

After this program has been completed, the control circuit for operating the door is reset when the door 24 reaches its fully closed position. In this door closed position, limit switch LS-2 is moved by cam 62 into its operated position, shown in full lines in FIG. 7, and power is supplied to the isolation transformer T1 as previously described. This isolation transformer T1 then sends a signal voltage or power via conductors 154 and 172 to fire a rectifier SCR-2 which deenergizes hold relay HR opening its contact hr2 and closing its contacts hrl and hr3. Thus each time the door 24 closes, this program to close the door'after it is automatically opened into its hold position, is cancelled and the next opening of the door 24 to its hold position will then follow its original program described in sections IIA and IlB above and open the door further to its drop position carrier 44 has been removed by the customer to be filled with material to be sent to the teller and the thus filled carrier 44 is dropped into the receiver 30 while the door has been moved to its full open or drop position.

If it is desired to cancel this programmed hold condition when the carrier 44 is not removed from its receiver 30 by a customer, the drop switch 140 on the tellers control panel 118 may be operated-when the door 24 is in its first open or hold position. The operation of this drop switch 140 at this time completes a circuit from the isolation transformer T2 to the drop relay DR, which relay DR through a conductor 174, fires the rectifier SCR-Z to deenergize the hold relay HR. The programmed hold condition may also be cleared if the door is closed by actuating first the open and then the close door switches and 158 on the tellers control panel 118.

So the teller at a remote station may know whether a carrier 44 is in the receiver 30 when the door 24 is closed, there is shown in FIG. 1 a sensor light 176 which may operate a separate indicator light (not shown) in the control panel 118, which light may be combined with the door close switch 158.

We claim:

1. A station for sending and receiving a pneumatic carrier wherein a delivery tube and a dispatch tube terminate in a closed compartment having an access opening therein, the improvement comprising: a

a. a pivoted door assembly normally closing the access opening in said compartment and having a receiver for the carrier;

b. means for moving said door and its receiver from its closed positioninto a first open position;

c. abutment means adjacent one end of said receiver at said first open position retaining the carrier in said receiver;

d. said moving means including means for moving said door from its first open position into a second open position and simultaneously removing said abutment means from said one end of said receiver; and

e. control means for selectively moving said door and its receiver into and out of its closed position and the first and second open positions.

2. A station according to claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a stationary means at the end of said dispatch tube.

3. A station according to claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a pivotal retainer means in said one end of said receiver.

4. A station according vto claim 3 wherein said retainer means includes a spring which biases said retainer means in a blocking position when said door is in its closed position and its first open position.

5. A station according to claim 4 wherein said retainer means comprises:

a. a stationary stop; and

b. a leg which abuts said stationary stop to pivot said retainer means into a nonblocking position when said door is moved into its second open position.

6. A station according to claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises:

a. a motor;

b. a crank driven by said motor; and

e. a link connected between said crank and said door for moving said door into and out of its closed position and its first and second open positions.

7. A station according to claim 6 wherein said motor includes a brake means.

8. A station according to claim 6 wherein said control means comprises:

a. a limit switch for each of said positions for said door; and

b. a control disk driven by said motor and provided with cam means for selectively actuating each of said limit switches when the door is moved into and out ofits closed and first and second open positions.

9. A station according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes a sensing device for detecting the removal of the carrier from said receiver when said door is in its first open position.

10. A station according to claim 9 including means controlled by said sensing device to open said door into its second open position.

11. A station according to claim 10 wherein said means controlled by said sensing device includes a delay means for delaying the movement of said door.

12. A station according to claim 10 wherein said control means includes means for preventing'the operation of said means controlled by said sensing means and for closing said door from its first open position.

13. A station for pneumatic carriers comprising:

a. a hinged door assembly with a compartment for a carrier;

b. motor means for operating said door assembly into two different open and one closed position,

c. a pivoted abutment ori said door assembly for retaining the carrier in said compartment in one of said open positions;

d. stop means for operating said abutment for permitting release of the carrier from said compartment when said door assembly is moved into its other open position; and

e. control means for said motor means for selectively moving said door assembly into its three different positions.

14. A station according to claim 13 wherein said control means includes carrier sensing means for automatically opening said door assembly from its one open position into its other open position a predetermined time after the carrier has been removed from its compartment.

we? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO. Dated Inventofls) K. G. Bullock and Alfred G. Hawkins It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 40, 'enter' should read enters line 45, "bracket should read brackets Column 4, line 69, before "relay" insert drop Column 6, line 12, after "position" insert after the empty Signed and sealed this mm day of March 1972.

(smL) At est:

EDMUQD I LF'LJETCILBILJK. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A station for sending and receiving a pneumatic carrier wherein a delivery tube and a dispatch tube terminate in a closed compartment having an access opening therein, the improvement comprising: a. a pivoted door assembly normally closing the access opening in said compartment and having a receiver for the carrier; b. means for moving said door and its receiver from its closed position into a first open position; c. abutment means adjacent one end of said receiver at said first open position retaining the carrier in said receiver; d. said moving means including means for moving said door from its first open position into a second open position and simultaneously removing said abutment means from said one end of said receiver; and e. control means for selectively moving said door and its receiver into and out of its closed position and the first and second open positions.
 2. A station according to claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a stationary means at the end of said dispatch tube.
 3. A station according to claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a pivotal retainer means in said one end of said receiver.
 4. A station according to claim 3 wherein said retainer means includes a spring which biases said retainer means in a blocking position when said door is in its closed position and its first open position.
 5. A station according to claim 4 wherein said retainer means comprises: a. a stationary stop; and b. a leg which abuts said stationary stop to pivot said retainer means into a nonblocking position when said door is moved into its second open position.
 6. A station according to claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises: a. a motor; b. a crank driven by said motor; and e. a link connected between said crank and said door for moving said door into and out of its closed position and its first and second open positions.
 7. A station according to claim 6 wherein said motor includes a brake means.
 8. A station according to claim 6 wherein said control means comprises: a. a limit switch for each of said positions for said door; and b. a control disk driven by said motor and provided with cam means for selectively actuating each of said limit switches when the door is moved into and out of its closed and first and second open positions.
 9. A station according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes a sensing device for detecting the removal of the carrier from said receiver when said door is in its first open position.
 10. A station according to claim 9 including means controlled by said sensing device to open said door into its second open position.
 11. A station according to claim 10 wherein said means controlled by said sensing device includes a delay means for delaying the movement of said door.
 12. A station according to claim 10 wherein said control means includes means for preventing the operation of said means controlled by said sensing means and for closing said door from its first open position.
 13. A station for pneumatic carriers comprising: a. a hinged door assembly with a compartment for a carrier; b. motor means for operating said door assembly into two different open and one closed position, c. a pivoted abutment on saId door assembly for retaining the carrier in said compartment in one of said open positions; d. stop means for operating said abutment for permitting release of the carrier from said compartment when said door assembly is moved into its other open position; and e. control means for said motor means for selectively moving said door assembly into its three different positions.
 14. A station according to claim 13 wherein said control means includes carrier sensing means for automatically opening said door assembly from its one open position into its other open position a predetermined time after the carrier has been removed from its compartment. 